Talking to your doctor

Before starting any weight loss regimen and diet change you should talk to your doctor.

Together your doctor can tell you what is best for you by examining your health issues, risks, BMI, height, age and what would be more beneficial to you individually.

I am a heart patient, so for the last three years I've been real concerned about my weight, wanting to get it off but scared of causing damage to my heart with the wrong kind of exercise.

I went to see my doctor for a semi annual check up. I was on beta blockers to regulate my heart rate and my blood pressure and everything was normal. It was a decent visit except he noted that the "snap" my heart makes was louder that time. Most likely from the stress of me being sick and..... me being overweight.

So, I sat and talked with him for about 45 minutes on what my plans are for losing the weight and getting it under control and keeping it off perminantly. My concerns were the Turbo Jam,Tae bo and just exercise levels in general being to much for my conidtion.

The answer was, the more you exercise starting at a lower level and working your way up as you gain strength, the healthier and stronger your heart will be. Do the turbo jam, do tae bo, walk , walk , walk and later when you can jog and run.

I also asked him about my green tea suppliments and the gallon green tea I was consuming a day. remember I thought I was doing so well with it and had found a very healthy antioxidant... blah blah blah.... He said, NO, that has WAYYYY to much caffine. UGH. So, green tea is out for me, because caffine is restricted from my diet due to my heart condition.

And about meal times and breakfast....

He said, " always eat breakfast, it gets your metabolism going, and have your heavier meals for breakfast or lunch and a light dinner before 6 pm.

So I've been doing good by him.

he informed me 30 minutes of walking on my treadmill a day is what he wanted, at least 4 times a week. five minutes of warm up, 20 minutes fast walking or jogging and 5 minutes cool down. Lots of water, and the turbo jam, yoga, and dance are all fine, as long as I keep my heart rate between 130 - 140!


As for what he said about over the counter diet aides..... most are not FDA approved with means they most likely are bogus or unsafe. Many of them like dexatrim cause tacticaria ( something I already have)..... and you really should talk to your doctor before you ever take anything over the counter.

I have kept his advice in mind the last couple of years and taken to use towards my advantage since I began my weight loss and healthy eating endeavors.